Community Outreach and Engagement

University Of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison WI

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

The long-term goal of UWCCC Community Outreach and Engagement activities is to decrease cancer incidence and mortality among populations within our catchment area and beyond, including our minority and underserved populations. We will achieve this goal through partnerships with other health delivery systems and state and community agencies for dissemination of evidence-based findings. Our specific aims are: (1) to understand our catchment area population through improved data collection and analysis, with a special emphasis on identifying disparities, (2) to engage our catchment area and state in clinical trials that are relevant to and appropriate for our populations, including underserved populations, and (3) to work with and serve our community organizations, affiliated health systems, and regional networks in the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based interventions and health policy recommendations, particularly for underserved populations. To accomplish these aims, the UWCCC engages researchers to build the evidence base for interventions to benefit our catchment area and beyond, as well as integrate what we learn from our catchment area into future research. Our UWCCC engagement activities and scientific programs have focused on areas of significant cancer burden within our 36- county catchment, including lung, breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer. Focus areas include lung and breast cancer among African Americans, cervical cancer among Hispanics, lung and colorectal cancer among American Indians, and delays in diagnosis among our rural residents. Colonoscopy screening rates are low and smoking rates are high among low income residents, while alcohol consumption is high. Through leveraging our extensive networks for research and outreach, we will engage our catchment area residents in clinical trials and the broad- based activities that have been shown to improve the health of, and in particular for, our disadvantaged populations. We specifically expand engagement of our catchment area participants in clinical trials facilitated through the National Clinical Trials Network, the Veterans Administration Hospitals and Clinics, the Precision Medicine Molecular Tumor Board, and the UW Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention. Disparities in clinical trial recruitment will be targeted by assessing and addressing barriers to clinical trials participation, improving recruitment materials, and developing targeted and culturally appropriate outreach. Our broad-based outreach activities include dissemination and implementation of evidence-based interventions and health policy recommendations for tobacco cessation, HPV vaccine uptake, colorectal cancer screening, and alcohol use. We will also continue to expand our Cancer Clear and Simple curriculum developed specifically for rural areas. Overall, we expect that these activities will continue to have a substantial positive impact on reducing the burden of cancer within our catchment area.